Middle East Public date: 24.08.2017 23:12:18

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20 Nov 2010

In Qom, the Mullahs are Worried

Iran's 'Supreme Guide' Ali Khamenei is not a travelling man. He has not set foot out of Iran since 1988 partly for fears that an international arrest warrant issued against him by Interpol on behalf of a German court, which found him guilty of ordering the assassination of Kurdish dissidents in Berlin, may cause him a spot of bother. He is also reluctant to travel inside Iran, cocooning himself in his palace in the foothills of Alborz. So, it is something of a surprise that the 'Supreme Guide' has found enough time this month to visit Qom, a provincial centre some 90 miles south of Tehran, on two occasions.
Iran's 'Supreme Guide' Ali Khamenei is not a travelling man. He has not set foot out of Iran since 1988 partly for fears...
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demise, khamenei
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15 Nov 2010

Just Killing Time

Washington Post columnist, David Ignatius, asked in yesterday s edition of the newspaper, whether Iran was serious about negotiating with the U.S. over the nuclear issue, or if it was merely killing time. The answer is, of course, that Iran is procrastinating, and killing time, whether the subject is the nuclear issue, or Iraq and Lebanon. Syria is also guilty of this. Some may wonder: What is the connection here?
Washington Post columnist, David Ignatius, asked in yesterday s edition of the newspaper, whether Iran was serious about...
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arab news, iraq, nuclear issue
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28 Sep 2010

Iran Indicates Oman is Seeking Release of 2 US Men

Iran on Tuesday offered the first official indication that Oman is playing a role in trying to secure the release of two American men imprisoned for more than a year. The remarks by foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast come after a newspaper reported that an Omani delegation was expected to visit Iran and hoped to take the detainees home with it.
Iran on Tuesday offered the first official indication that Oman is playing a role in trying to secure the release of two...
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american hikers
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30 Aug 2010

Iran’s Primary Target is Israel’s Dimona Reactor

Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- An official source in the Iranian government has stated to Asharq Al-Awsat that his Tehran places the Israeli Dimona nuclear reactor on top of its list of targets if Iran comes under Israeli or US strike. In reply to a question on how Tehran views the threats of a military offensive on its nuclear and military facilities, the source told Asharq Al-Awsat: "We view the possibility of carrying out the threats against the Islamic Republic of Iran as extremely remote," noting that the United States and Israel are "in a state of weakness" that does not qualify them to launch a new war on Iran.
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- An official source in the Iranian government has stated to Asharq Al-Awsat that his Tehran...
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israel, nuclear issue
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21 Aug 2010

Iran or Islam In Tehran That is the Question

The late Ruhallah Khomeini was no philosopher. But he, too, made the mistake that only philosophers can make. He took Marx s advice about changing the world rather than interpreting it and tried to de-Iranise Iran. However, despite his boundless hatred for the idea of Iran, the agitator from Khomein, the luckiest adventurer in our history, also failed. The question "Islam or Iran?" has been a hot topic in Iranian politics during several conjectures in history. When Iranians were angry at a regime that beat the drum of Iranian-ness as the core of its legitimacy, they emphasised the concept of Islam in opposition. They grew beards, flocked to the mosques, bought rosaries and brought the mullahs out of the backyards of forgotten neighbourhoods to oppose despotism based on nationalism. This time, Iranians are emphasising the concept of Iran in opposition to a regime that wrongly claims Islam as its source of legitimacy. This time, too, the fight is against despotism, not religion.
The late Ruhallah Khomeini was no philosopher. But he, too, made the mistake that only philosophers can make. He took...
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democracy, iran, islam, opposition
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20 Aug 2010

Iran Needs Year to Develop Nuclear Weapon

U.S. officials have convinced Israel that Iran needs at least a year to develop a nuclear weapon, dimming prospects of an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, The New York Times reports. Israeli officials thought Iran could develop nuclear weapons within months. But Gary Samore, President Barack Obama's top adviser on nuclear issues, told the Times he thinks it would take Tehran "roughly a year" to turn low-enriched uranium into weapons-grade material. "A year is a very long period of time," Samore was quoted by the newspaper in an report posted on its website late Thursday.
U.S. officials have convinced Israel that Iran needs at least a year to develop a nuclear weapon, dimming prospects of...
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arab news, nuclear issue, nuclear weapon
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3 Dec 2010

Dirty tricks and sticky bombs in Iran

While one target survived, the "sticky bomb" attacks on two high-ranking Iranian nuclear scientists in Tehran this week have dealt a blow to the program ahead of international talks on Iran. The sophisticated, clinical and coordinated nature of the incidents suggest a resourceful foreign power has a covert destabilization campaign underway, with indigenous militants used for the final deployment. - Ben West (Dec 3, '10)
While one target survived, the "sticky bomb" attacks on two high-ranking Iranian nuclear scientists in Tehran this week...
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assasinations, destabilization campaign, nuclear scientists
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3 Jun 2010

Attack complicates new sanctions on Iran

WASHINGTON - Israel's lethal confrontation with pro-Palestinian activists in the Mediterranean is complicating United States strategy toward Iran and undermining the likelihood of a solid sanctions victory at the United Nations. US officials sought on Tuesday to separate the two issues and said they are still actively pursuing a fourth round of punitive measures against Iran in the UN Security Council.
WASHINGTON - Israel's lethal confrontation with pro-Palestinian activists in the Mediterranean is complicating United...
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flotilla aid, gaza, sanctions
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11 Mar 2010

Iran and Israel play cat and mouse

Military movement on the ground is also lending credence to the idea that the mutual loathing and major ideological differences between the two countries could lead to vortex of violence capable of sucking the entire region into a new war.
Military movement on the ground is also lending credence to the idea that the mutual loathing and major ideological...
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israel, nuclear issue
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5 Feb 2010

Ahmadinejad’s economic plans under attack

WASHINGTON - While Iranian politics have been mostly consumed with the aftermath of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election in June 2009, unease about his ability to steer the economy has been brewing amid high unemployment and runaway inflation.
WASHINGTON - While Iranian politics have been mostly consumed with the aftermath of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's...
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ahmadinejad, demise
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3 Jun 2010

Washington feels heat over Iran fuel deal

WASHINGTON - Although the Barack Obama administration continued to dismiss the May 17 Iranian fuel swap agreement Friday, there are indications that Iran's acceptance of the agreement has shaken unity among United Nations Security Council members on sanctions, and is bringing Russian diplomatic pressure on the United States to participate in new talks with Iran on the swap arrangement - something the administration clearly wished to avoid.
WASHINGTON - Although the Barack Obama administration continued to dismiss the May 17 Iranian fuel swap agreement...
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nuclear deal, sanctions
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21 May 2010

Washington burns its bridges with Iran

WASHINGTON - The agreement on draft United Nations Security Council resolution sanctions against Iran has grabbed the headlines on the Barack Obama administration's response to Iran's nuclear swap proposal brokered by Turkey and Brazil. But the more consequential response is the acknowledgement by the US State Department on Monday that the administration is not willing to hold talks with Iran unless it agrees to a complete halt in uranium enrichment.
WASHINGTON - The agreement on draft United Nations Security Council resolution sanctions against Iran has grabbed the...
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diplomacy, nuclear issue
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30 Sep 2010

New Iran sanctions as war chorus rises

The United States has imposed unilateral sanctions against eight senior Iranian officials whom it accuses of committing "sustained and severe violations of human rights", the first such putative measures imposed by Washington against Tehran. The move comes as those calling for strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities grow more vociferous. - Jim Lobe (Sep 30, '10)
The United States has imposed unilateral sanctions against eight senior Iranian officials whom it accuses of committing...
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human rights, sanctions, usa, war mongering
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15 Dec 2010

Iran plays doves and hawks too

By all accounts, Salehi's appointment, even though considered temporary by some Tehran political insiders, is a plus for Iran's nuclear diplomacy, for several reasons: First, compared to Mottaki, who was always on the sideline of nuclear decision-making, Salehi is a nuclear specialist who can propel the Foreign Ministry into more direct pursuit of Iran's current nuclear diplomacy goals. He can, for example, be more persuasive with Arab neighbors who are wary of Iran's peaceful nuclear intentions, and also speak with greater authority than Mottaki on the subject to elicit greater attention in Western capitals, irrespective of the fact that Saeed Jalili continues to be Iran's chief nuclear negotiator.
By all accounts, Salehi's appointment, even though considered temporary by some Tehran political insiders, is a plus for...
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ahmadinejad, ali akbar salehi, mottaki, nuclear talks
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20 May 2010

US strikes back at Iran

TEHRAN - With the Tehran nuclear swap deal approaching like a curve ball, the United States swung into action in an attempt to hit it out of the park and press on with its attempt to impose further sanctions on Iran.
TEHRAN - With the Tehran nuclear swap deal approaching like a curve ball, the United States swung into action in an...
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nuclear deal, por government news
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19 May 2010

Ball now in wary West’s court

TEHRAN - Iran's leaders may be forgiven for appearing overjoyed for inking a nuclear fuel swap agreement with Brazil and Turkey that is bound to bolster Tehran's regional and trans-regional standing. The move will also weaken the momentum for sanctions against Iran, especially given that the accord is based on a proposal United States President Barack Obama supported last October.
TEHRAN - Iran's leaders may be forgiven for appearing overjoyed for inking a nuclear fuel swap agreement with Brazil and...
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nuclear deal, pro government news
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29 Apr 2010

US-Iran standoff edges to critical juncture

Iran has revived talk of a nuclear fuel exchange deal to try and halt a relentless United States' push for new sanctions over its nuclear program while also carrying out aggressive naval maneuvers in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran hopes the combination of diplomacy and show of force will diminish the rising momentum for punitive action, promising "new mechanisms" to settle the dispute.
Iran has revived talk of a nuclear fuel exchange deal to try and halt a relentless United States' push for new sanctions...
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nuclear issue, sanctions
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3 Feb 2010

Iran caught up in China-US spat

Just days after United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used the occasion of a speech in Paris to lecture China on its national security interests and warned Beijing of "economic insecurity and diplomatic isolation" if it did not sign onto new sanctions against Iran, China hit back.
Just days after United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used the occasion of a speech in Paris to lecture China...
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china, nuclear issue, usa
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10 Jul 2010

Iran cuts oil prices as sanctions byte

As international sanctions mount, Iran is finding it increasingly hard to find buyers for its oil, forcing the hardline nation to offer discounts in order to shift as much as it can to a declining number of customers. Though Iranian officials are increasingly voicing their concerns in public, many seem optimistic about finding ways around the trade blockade.
As international sanctions mount, Iran is finding it increasingly hard to find buyers for its oil, forcing the hardline...
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oil, sanctions
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11 Dec 2010

Senate hawks push Obama on Iran

Five senators sent a letter to United States President Barack Obama on Monday warning the administration not to offer concessions in upcoming talks with Iran over its nuclear program. If Obama takes the advice, experts say, it could sink his engagement efforts with Tehran.
Five senators sent a letter to United States President Barack Obama on Monday warning the administration not to offer...
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us congress, war mongering
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3 Feb 2010

US ups the ante in Iran nuclear game

WASHINGTON - The recent expansion of United States missile defense systems in the Persian Gulf just days after President Barack Obama warned Iran of "growing consequences" if it did not accept the West's conditions over its nuclear program, signals a possible change of approach by Washington even as uncertainty still prevails over how it will eventually deal with Iran
WASHINGTON - The recent expansion of United States missile defense systems in the Persian Gulf just days after President...
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nuclear issue
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6 Dec 2010

Iran cracks down on Sunni clerics

The leaders of Shi'ite-majority Iran are growing increasingly impatient with the Sunni clergy in the southeastern province of Sistan-Balochistan. The shift in official mood appears to reflect falling confidence in once-favored Muslim leaders, in a region where the government worries about Sunni fundamentalism and separatism. In October, two son-in-laws of Maulana Abdulhamid Esmail-Zehi, the most prominent Sunni cleric in Iran, Abdulalim Shahbakhsh and Hafez Esmail Molla-Zehi, were arrested.
The leaders of Shi'ite-majority Iran are growing increasingly impatient with the Sunni clergy in the southeastern...
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crackdown, religious minority
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10 Feb 2010

Iran rewards Basij militia with political clout

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates During an Iranian government meeting late last month, a top adviser to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad brought a proposal to expand the political voice of a group more known for its street muscle: the civilian militia corps called the Basij. The motion passed easily, according to pro-government Web sites. And with it, Iranian authorities took another step in restructuring the state to reward the forces that help keep them in power handing wider decision-making roles to the formidable Revolutionary Guard and its vast paramilitary network that have led the crackdowns against opposition protesters.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates During an Iranian government meeting late last month, a top adviser to President Mahmoud...
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basij
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9 Feb 2010

Iran to stop enrichment if given nuclear fuel

TEHRAN, Iran The head of Iran's atomic agency said the Islamic Republic would not enrich uranium to a higher level if the West provides the fuel it needs for the Tehran research reactor. Iran is set to start enriching its stockpile of uranium to 20 percent on Tuesday, in a move sure to antagonize Western nations who fear that the process of enrichment could eventually yield material for a nuclear weapon.
TEHRAN, Iran The head of Iran's atomic agency said the Islamic Republic would not enrich uranium to a higher level if...
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nuclear issue
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12 Jan 2010

Bomb kills Iran nuclear physicist tied to Mousavi

TEHRAN, Iran A nuclear physics professor who publicly backed Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi in the disputed June presidential election was killed Tuesday when a remote-controlled bomb rigged to a motorcycle blew up outside his home.
TEHRAN, Iran A nuclear physics professor who publicly backed Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi in the...
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opposition, terrorism
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3 Jan 2010

Iranian insider predicts regime change

Despite working for many years in the secrecy-shrouded intelligence section of the Iranian government, Mohammad Reza Madhi, 46, a former high-ranking officer in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards' intelligence service and once the right-hand man of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has decided it is time to go public.
Despite working for many years in the secrecy-shrouded intelligence section of the Iranian government, Mohammad Reza...
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demise, opposition
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9 Nov 2010

Rahnavard – Sending Female Political Prisoners to the Ward for Addicts Won’t Cure them of their Addiction to Freedom and Democracy

Tuesday November 9th, 2010 - In response to the recent transfer of all female political prisoners in Evin to the Methadone quarantine ward reserved for addicts, Zahra Rahnvard writer, university professor and Mir Hossein Mousavi's wife stated: "Transferring female political prisoners to the Methadone quarantine ward for addicts is a waste of time, as it will not only NOT cure their addiction to freedom and democracy, but will bring them closer to God. You who claim to be the defenders of Islam, should follow the example of the prophet Mohammad when treating women and release all imprisoned women, unconditionally.
Tuesday November 9th, 2010 - In response to the recent transfer of all female political prisoners in Evin to the...
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human rights, political prisoners
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30 Sep 2010

Energy firms to quit Iran to comply with US sanctions

Four major energy companies are pulling out of Iran in order to comply with US sanctions, the state department says. Royal Dutch Shell, Total, Statoil and Italy ENI will now avoid US penalties targeting companies which do business with Iran. Naftiran Intertrade Co, based in Switzerland, will face new sanctions . The US has tightened sanctions on Iran over concerns about its nuclear ambitions, which Washington fears are aimed at acquiring atomic weapons.
Four major energy companies are pulling out of Iran in order to comply with US sanctions, the state department says....
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demise, oil, sanctions
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6 Nov 2010

Iran holds four ‘UK-linked men’ for killings

Iran says it has arrested four men allegedly paid by a man based in Britain to carry out assassinations, an official state TV station reports. Press TV said the four "Britain-linked terrorists" were detained in the western city of Marivan. The men are accused of carrying out five assassinations in the past two years for money, Press TV reports.
Iran says it has arrested four men allegedly paid by a man based in Britain to carry out assassinations, an official...
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assasinations, government accusations, uk
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19 Oct 2010

US fears Chinese companies are breaking Iran sanctions

The United States has asked the Chinese government to do more to stop Chinese companies helping Iran with its nuclear programme and missile technology. A senior US official told the BBC that Washington had provided Beijing with a list of firms it believed had been operating in violation of UN sanctions. Beijing promised it was committed to implementing the sanctions and that it would investigate, the official added.
The United States has asked the Chinese government to do more to stop Chinese companies helping Iran with its nuclear...
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china, sanctions, usa
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25 Sep 2010

Obama Calls Ahmadinejad’s 9 11 Comments ‘Inexcusable’

Barack Obama has condemned the Iranian president over his recent remarks about 9/11, in an interview with the BBC's Persian service. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments that most people believe the US government was behind the 9/11 attacks were made during an address at the United Nations and prompted a walk out by some delegates.
Barack Obama has condemned the Iranian president over his recent remarks about 9/11, in an interview with the BBC's...
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9-11, ahmadinejad, obama
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7 Sep 2010

Iran stands firm over Ashtiani stoning case

Foreign powers should stop interfering in the case of an Iranian woman who was sentenced to death by stoning, Iran's foreign ministry has said. In Tehran, a spokesman said the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani "should not become a human rights issue". She is accused of murder and adultery and faces death or life in prison. The sentence has led to widespread criticism, the latest from EC President Jose Manuel Barroso, who called it "barbaric beyond words".
Foreign powers should stop interfering in the case of an Iranian woman who was sentenced to death by stoning, Iran's...
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executions, human rights, stoning
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21 Aug 2010

Will fuelling the Bushehr reactor give Iran the bomb

"Once up and running, some 35 years after the project first began, Bushehr will be the first nuclear power reactor to generate electricity in the Middle East," says Mark Hibbs, a veteran nuclear analyst with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
"Once up and running, some 35 years after the project first began, Bushehr will be the first nuclear power reactor to...
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nuclear issue
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7 Aug 2010

Fidel Castro addresses parliament after four-year gap

Fidel Castro, the former Cuban leader, has delivered his first speech to the national assembly since resigning over ill health four years ago. The chamber erupted into applause at the sight of Mr Castro, dressed in his familiar olive-green fatigues but without his comandante's insignia. In his uncharacteristically short speech, the 83-year-old talked of the threat of nuclear war. His brother Raul, who succeeded him as president, was present in the chamber. It was the first time the two had appeared together in public since Fidel Castro stepped down. At the national assembly, he warned of the risk of a nuclear war involving the US and Iran.
Fidel Castro, the former Cuban leader, has delivered his first speech to the national assembly since resigning over ill...
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fidel castro, nuclear issue, usa
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14 Jul 2010

Iran nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri ‘heading home’

An Iranian nuclear scientist who once claimed he had been abducted by CIA agents is on his way back to Tehran, Iran says. Foreign Ministry officials, who claim they have evidence Shahram Amiri was abducted last year, told statemedia he had now left the US. The US state department has insisted he was in the US of his own free will. In June Mr Amiri appeared in three videos giving conflicting stories about how he had arrived in the US. He said in the first that he had been kidnapped by CIA and Saudi agents while on a pilgrimage.
An Iranian nuclear scientist who once claimed he had been abducted by CIA agents is on his way back to Tehran, Iran...
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cia, kidnapping, nuclear issue, usa
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20 Jun 2010

Iran hangs Sunni militant leader Abdolmalek Rigi

The leader of a Sunni militant group has been executed in Iran for his involvement in "terrorist" attacks in the Islamic state, state media report. Abdolmalek Rigi, head of Jundullah, was hanged at dawn at Tehran's Evin prison in the presence of the families of its victims, the Irna news agency said.
The leader of a Sunni militant group has been executed in Iran for his involvement in "terrorist" attacks in the Islamic...
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executions
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12 Jun 2010

Why time is against Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Twelve months on from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's bitterly disputed re-election, Iran is both back to normal and changed forever. The opposition protests that brought millions out on to the streets have petered out. Opposition supporters seem disillusioned, not just with their own government but with the opposition leadership as well.
Twelve months on from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's bitterly disputed re-election, Iran is both back to normal and...
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ahmadinejad, election aniversary, green movement, opposition
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12 Feb 2010

International broadcasters condemn Iran over ‘jamming’

The BBC, Deutsche Welle and Voice of America said the jamming began on Thursday as Iran marked the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. They said Iran was broadcasting freely around the world while denying its own people programmes coming from outside.
The BBC, Deutsche Welle and Voice of America said the jamming began on Thursday as Iran marked the 31st anniversary of...
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crackdown, media
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29 Nov 2010

WikiLeaks documents shed light on U.S.-Israel talks over Iran

Diplomatic cables obtained by the website WikiLeaks show a continuous dialogue between Israel and the United States about the threat posed by Iran, with the Israeli defense minister and other Israeli officials suggesting that 2010 would be a critical year.
Diplomatic cables obtained by the website WikiLeaks show a continuous dialogue between Israel and the United States...
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israel, nuclear issue, usa, wikileaks
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12 Aug 2010

Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning denounces her lawyer

Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- The 43-year-old woman sentenced to death by stoning in Iran denounced her lawyer and said in an interview broadcast Wednesday that she knew about the plot to kill her husband but thought it was a joke. Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani's lawyer said his client made those comments to state-run television "to save her life" and noted that the death sentence for murder charges related to her husband's death was commuted. The mother of two faces a death sentence for adultery. Ashtiani's attorney, Mohammad Mostafaei, told CNN last month that his client confessed to the crime after being subjected to 99 lashes. He said she later recanted the confession and denied any wrongdoing.
Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- The 43-year-old woman sentenced to death by stoning in Iran denounced her lawyer and said in an...
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crackdown, human rights, islamic law, mohammad mostafaei, stoning
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7 Dec 2010

In Iran, a Christian pastor faces death sentence

A Christan pastor in Iran has been sentenced to death for allegedly renouncing his Muslim religion and another faces a possible indictment on the same charge of apostasy, according to a prominent activist group working for human rights in Iran.
A Christan pastor in Iran has been sentenced to death for allegedly renouncing his Muslim religion and another faces a...
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death sentence, human rights, islam
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12 Apr 2010

Clinton Israel’s Nuclear Weapons Aren’t A Threat. Terrorists With Nukes Are.

Both Secretary of Defense Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates appeared on This Week with Jake Tapper, and Clinton sidestepped a direct question on Israel's unauthorized nuclear weapons, pointing out that terrorists present the real threat.
Both Secretary of Defense Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates appeared on This Week with Jake Tapper,...
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nuclear issue
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20 Sep 2010

Ahmadinejad says future is Iran’s

"The United States' administrations ... must recognize that Iran is a big power," he said. "Having said that, we consider ourselves to be a human force and a cultural power and hence a friend of other nations. We have never sought to dominate others or to violate the rights of any other country.
"The United States' administrations ... must recognize that Iran is a big power," he said. "Having said that, we...
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ahmadinejad
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6 Nov 2010

Obama’s game of nuclear chicken with Iran

While American eyes were focused on the midterm elections, a bitter conflict has continued between the United States and Iran for influence in the Middle East. The flash points have been Iraq and Lebanon, where the Iranians have been pushing through their proxies for what amounts to political control. The United States and its allies have been resisting - sometimes feebly but enough to slow the Iranian advance. In both Baghdad and Beirut, the proxy warfare may escalate in coming weeks.
While American eyes were focused on the midterm elections, a bitter conflict has continued between the United States and...
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afghanistan, foriegn policy, iraq, usa
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8 Dec 2010

Liveblog Students’ Day in Iran, Dec. 7 (16 Azar) 2010

All in all, protests were more widespread and better covered than we expected them to be. In fact, based on the preparedness of the regime during previous protest events, it seems that even the security forces were surprised at how vibrant resistance was today.
All in all, protests were more widespread and better covered than we expected them to be. In fact, based on the...
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16 azar, protests
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16 Dec 2010

The Battle Within and The Protests Are Still The Stories (Miller)

This week, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed his Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, for no given reason. The problem is that the mainstream media, and most politicians, haven't stopped to ask why the Foreign Minister was dismissed. Instead, they've wondered whether this will result in a change of direction with respect to Iran's nuclear program.
This week, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed his Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, for no given reason....
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ahmadinejad, demise, internal politics, larijani, mottaki
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13 Dec 2010

Mousavi’s Call for The Religious Month of Moharram

In these critical times, let us take action as Zeynab [the sister of Imam Hossein] did and give the true message of religion with its spiritual face to those who are thirsty for truth. It is our responsibility to learn and to teach others that the false claims of those pretending to be religious should not be considered as what the religion truly is. It is our responsibility to tell the true story of the Revolution for this generation...and in this telling the facts we should not be afraid from fairly criticising the past and at the same time we should avoid denying its great achievements.
In these critical times, let us take action as Zeynab [the sister of Imam Hossein] did and give the true message of...
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ashura, islam, mousavi, protests
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13 Dec 2010

Messages, Confessions , and Those Behind Bars

Economist Mohsen Renani, in comments published in the conservative Aftab, has alleged that academic studies on effects of subsidy cuts are censored and media are not allowed to publish data. He asserts that subsidy cuts will stop development for several generations and cause social crisis.
Economist Mohsen Renani, in comments published in the conservative Aftab, has alleged that academic studies on effects...
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economy, subsidy cuts
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8 Dec 2010

If a Protest Occurs and No One Notices, Does It Make a Sound

For some, it is as if the demonstrations on National Student Day --- 16 Azar --- never happened. You will not, for example, find any reference in Iranian state media to the protests on campuses across the nation. Press TV's top story prefers the relative security of the nuclear discussions, with Iran's National Security Council "call[ing] on Western powers to exercise commitment to agreements they make with the Islamic Republic".
For some, it is as if the demonstrations on National Student Day --- 16 Azar --- never happened. You will not, for...
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16 azar, protests, western media
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8 Dec 2010

What Now for the Greens and the Government

Let me be clear: today was a grand success for supporters of the Green Movement and a day of utter shame for those who kept blowing their horns of disagreement for months, blaring about the supposed demise of the opposition. Another set of demonstrations, another round of slogans, another group arrested. The protests are over, and now it's the task of sifting through websites, tweets, Facebook posts, and blogs to figure out how many people were arrested, if anyone was injured or killed, what the government did to block the protesters....
Let me be clear: today was a grand success for supporters of the Green Movement and a day of utter shame for those who...
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16 azar, green movement, protests
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7 Dec 2010

Resistance and National Students’ Day

But in Iran's capital, the developments were far from scripted: on the eve of National Students Day, hundreds of those students turned out at Tehran University to shout defiance. For the first time in many weeks, mass chants of "Ya Hossein Mir Hossein", "Free the Political Prisoners", and even "Marg Bar Dictator" (Death to the Dictator) were heard.
But in Iran's capital, the developments were far from scripted: on the eve of National Students Day, hundreds of those...
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16 azar, protests, student day
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7 Dec 2010

The Regime’s Ninja Assassins

In September 2009, an Iranian political source --- who also happens to be trained in martial arts --- tells the US Embassy in Azerbaijan that the regime is pressuring martial arts clubs, despite suspicions that they could be assisting opposition groups, to provide instruction for the Ministry of Intelligence and the Revolutionary Guards.
In September 2009, an Iranian political source --- who also happens to be trained in martial arts --- tells the US...
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assasins, revolutionary guards, wikileaks
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29 Nov 2010

Wikileaks-Iran Analysis What This Means For Tehran and Arab States (Tehrani)

The latest Wikileaks "dump" of previously secret US diplomatic communication gives us little in the way of new information on the Islamic Republic of Iran. There is no smoking gun on the atomic programme nor any new revelation on the Iranian meddling in Iraq, Lebanon and beyond. However, the documents provide an illuminating confirmation of what many could have previously sensed to be the prevailing mood within the Middle East regarding the regime run by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Ali Khamenei
The latest Wikileaks "dump" of previously secret US diplomatic communication gives us little in the way of new...
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ahmadinejad, khamenei, wikileaks
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22 Nov 2010

Judiciary’s Larijani on Sakineh, Nukes, and Israel

In the American tour of Mohammad Javad Larijani, the high-level official Iran's judiciary, this is a fine example of how not to conduct an interview. CNN's Fareed Zakaria, with the nominal "head of the human rights section" before him, reduces all the human rights issues in Iran to one case --- that of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the woman condemned to death for adultery and then complicity in the death of her husband. Unsurprisingly, Larijani is ready for this headline example and knocks back Zakaria's portrayal of the cruelty of stoning.
In the American tour of Mohammad Javad Larijani, the high-level official Iran's judiciary, this is a fine example of how...
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american media, human rights, larijani
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22 Nov 2010

Judiciary’s Larijani on Detained Sotoudeh and on US Hikers

In his public-relations tour in New York, Mohammad Javad Larijani, the head of the human rights section of the Iranian judiciary, explains to NBC television that attorney Nasrine Sotoudeh was detained in early September as "a threat to national security". The threat? "She indulged in propaganda against Islam."
In his public-relations tour in New York, Mohammad Javad Larijani, the head of the human rights section of the Iranian...
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human rights, islam, larijani
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19 Nov 2010

Lawyer Shadi Sadr What Do We Mean By Violations of Human Rights

Choosing a topic for my speech tonight was both easy and difficult. It was easy because I knew I will be speaking to a crowd well aware of the violations of human rights in Iran. And it was difficult because I was not sure what comes to your minds when I say violation of human rights in Iran. Would it be the violent crushing of the demonstrators after the 2009 election? Would the torture and violation of the rights of the prisoners be what comes to your minds? Will you be reminded of the stoning sentences carried out? Would you remember the legal and executive discriminations against women? What about the details? How many names come to your minds? How many faces have been burned on your mind? How many victims? How many human rights violators? Do you remember any names at all or just an overall picture; somewhere in the world that we can find on the map, with difficulty at times, human rights in general are being violated and in general, we oppose violations of human rights.
Choosing a topic for my speech tonight was both easy and difficult. It was easy because I knew I will be speaking to a...
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human rights
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5 Nov 2010

Revolutionary Guards Speak Out Against Ahmadinejad

The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has come under harsh and unprecedented criticism from his usually close supporters, the Revolutionary Guards, in a move that suggests rifts among the Islamic Republic's power centres are widening
The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has come under harsh and unprecedented criticism from his usually close...
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ahmadinejad, demise
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27 Oct 2010

The Small Exchanges of Currency and Politics

Ever since the sanctions materialized, money transfers have become very knotty. In the old days, we would provide our bank s foreign rep and routing information (another bank in Europe for example), and our account number, and then waited for notification of the transfer, but those days are gone. Even currency exchange shops are no longer providing this service. They used to receive money in their accounts on foreign soil and pay us Rials out of their accounts in Iran, making a profit in the exchange. These days, their accounts are under scrutiny, frozen, or they re just afraid to make such moves.
Ever since the sanctions materialized, money transfers have become very knotty. In the old days, we would provide our...
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economy, sanctions
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26 Oct 2010

Why It is Vital to Speak Out for the US Hostages

I have never looked at the detention of the American hikers as anything but hostage-taking. Iran has had past experience with this: in the first years of the Islamic Republic, the Government brazenly broke international laws and held American diplomats and citizens. It is a strategy that has paid off in the past, and to the leaders in Tehran, it is a tried and tested method of getting back at their adversaries.
I have never looked at the detention of the American hikers as anything but hostage-taking. Iran has had past experience...
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american hikers, usa
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20 Oct 2010

Meanwhile, The Economy….

Iranian authorities have again postponed the lifting of subsidies on gasoline, maintaining a monthly quota of 60 litres (13 gallons) per motorist at subsidised prices of about 10 US cents per litre until November 21.
Iranian authorities have again postponed the lifting of subsidies on gasoline, maintaining a monthly quota of 60 litres...
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economy, freedom of press, human rights
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18 Oct 2010

Witness Journalist Jalali Farahani We Knew That Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Was Not Re-Elected

In February, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence announced seven members of "counterrevolutionary satellite network organizations and Zionist media", whom it said were affiliated with the Green Movement, had been arrested. Specifically, the seven were supposedly trained in "various soft subversion and other sabotage techniques abroad" and had links to the US Government-backed Radio Farda.
In February, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence announced seven members of "counterrevolutionary satellite network...
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crackdown, elections
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16 Oct 2010

Ahmadinejad Plays Second Fiddle to Hezbollah’s Nasrullah (Younis)

The support that Ahmadinejad enjoys in Lebanon's Shia heartlands can be compared to the support that a corporate sponsor might expect from Manchester United fans: bored gratitude. The biggest cheer that Ahmadinejad's speech managed to raise out of the crowd came when he thanked Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, as a "dear warrior and scholar".
The support that Ahmadinejad enjoys in Lebanon's Shia heartlands can be compared to the support that a corporate sponsor...
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ahmadinejad, hezbollah, lebanon
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14 Oct 2010

Interview Mehdi Karroubi The Green Movement Runs Very Deep

There is a widespread perception outside Iran that the Green Movement has been defeated. We no longer hear about millions-strong demonstrations, and a great many opposition figures have been imprisoned or forced out of the country. Is there still a Green Movement in Iran? Does it have an organized structure and a strategy for achieving its goals?
There is a widespread perception outside Iran that the Green Movement has been defeated. We no longer hear about...
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green movement, karroubi, opposition
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10 Oct 2010

Tensions Rise over Subsidy Cuts

This is unlikely to be a headline story in non-Iranian press --- where is the drama in subsidy cuts? --- but it should be. The Ahmadinejad Government's high-profile plan to reduce subsidies on food, energy, and other goods, softening the blow for those on lower incomes by handing out Government cheques, was supposed to be implemented in September. Then it was supposed to begin in October. Now it is scheduled for November.
This is unlikely to be a headline story in non-Iranian press --- where is the drama in subsidy cuts? --- but it should...
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economy, subsidy cuts
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4 Oct 2010

A Beginner’s Guide to the Currency Crisis

It is no secret that the Iranian rial/toman is overvalued --- the real surprise in recent years is how or why the Iranian government has kept the rate relatively stable. The current foreign exchange crisis is not a planned move towards much-devaluation; instead, it is indicative of poor preparation by the Iranian Government for recent developments.
It is no secret that the Iranian rial/toman is overvalued --- the real surprise in recent years is how or why the...
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currency, economy, regime incompetence
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30 Sep 2010

Hillary Clinton Announces Rights-First Sanctions

Hillary Clinton condems human rights abuses by the Iranian regime and targets 18 iranian officials for human rights violations. They are denied visas and furthermore financial sanctions are targeted at individuals, institutions and businesses.
Hillary Clinton condems human rights abuses by the Iranian regime and targets 18 iranian officials for human rights...
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human rights, sanctions, usa
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28 Sep 2010

Naming the Officials in the Attacks on Karroubi’s House and Qoba Mosque

In the five nights before Qods (Palestine) Day on 3 September, the residential complex of opposition cleric Mehdi Karroubi was surrounded by a pro-regime crowd. Violence escalated until, on the fifth night, a group tried to storm Karroubi's apartment. Several people were injured; Karroubi's bodyguard was reported to have been seriously wounded.
In the five nights before Qods (Palestine) Day on 3 September, the residential complex of opposition cleric Mehdi...
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crackdown, karroubi
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25 Sep 2010

Ahmadinejad, the UN, and The Society of the Spectacle (Pedestrian)

Ahmadinejad was there for the show, and as the lead performer, he was not going to leave the room disappointed. He had kept his end of the bargain, given us a magnificent spectacle which the world will be a buzz with for weeks to come --- much to his delight. And he was not going to leave the stage without that final, majestic farewell, even if he himself had to create it. The men clapped like crazy, and he could pretend they were real. The spectacle became the real, and we could no longer tell the difference.
Ahmadinejad was there for the show, and as the lead performer, he was not going to leave the room disappointed. He had...
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ahmadinejad, un speech
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22 Sep 2010

Mahmoud’s New York Sideshow

The Iranian President is being portrayed as a villain, of course; to do otherwise would ruin the dramatic narrative of conflict. However, like the villain in any long-running pantomime, he is never actually vanquished. The media's blows are those of soft bats rather than hard questions, letting the audience boo and hiss but leaving Ahmadinejad to take his bows at the end of the performance.
The Iranian President is being portrayed as a villain, of course; to do otherwise would ruin the dramatic narrative of...
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ahmadinejad
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22 Sep 2010

Top Tehran Analyst Zibakalam: Sanctions Have Worked

These remarks from Professor Sadegh Zibakalam, one of Iran's top analysts of international affairs are striking, especially when set against President Ahmadinejad's all-is-well assurances. They were featured in Aftab News last week: We should not wonder why the Koreans have joined the group of countries sanctioning us....South Korea exports $40 billion worth of car parts to the United States. Should Korea not give into American pressure, it could lose the American market....
These remarks from Professor Sadegh Zibakalam, one of Iran's top analysts of international affairs are striking,...
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sanctions
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18 Sep 2010

Karroubi Intervenes with Letter to Rafsanjani Take Charge

BBC Persian is reporting that opposition figure Mehdi Karroubi has made a pointed intervention with a letter to former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, in Rafsanjani's capacity as the head of the Assembly of Experts. Karroubi's letter, sent to Rafsanjani just before this week's bi-annual Assembly meeting, called on the Assembly to exercise its powers to "monitor the functions and institutions under the auspices of Iran's Supreme Leader". Karroubi cited problems such as "a lack of independence of the judiciary and courts", the interference of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and Basij militia in political issues, and the IRGC's expanded involvement in Iran's economy.
BBC Persian is reporting that opposition figure Mehdi Karroubi has made a pointed intervention with a letter to former...
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economy, karroubi, khamenei, opposition, rafsanjani
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13 Sep 2010

Latest on Detained US Hiker Sarah Shourd

Masoud Shafii, the lawyer for the US detainees Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer, and Josh Fattal, has said he is upset at the delay in Shourd s release, declaring that her family s emotions are being abused . Shafii said, Put yourself in her mother s shoes. It s been more than year and she has no idea why her daughter was arrested and what will happen to her. The lawyer continued, "There's obviously a difference of opinion as to what to do within the government. Legally the prosecutor has the final say in this matter, but I ask you, has anything about their arrests and treatment been legal so far?"
Masoud Shafii, the lawyer for the US detainees Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer, and Josh Fattal, has said he is upset at the...
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american hikers
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14 Dec 2010

Ahmadinejad’s Victory The Firing of Foreign Minister Mottaki

The Iranian government has some special characteristics. The Foreign Minister, together with the Ministers of Defense and Intelligence, are generally considered to be outside the control of the President. The incumbents for these ministries are usually strictly controlled by the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei has a special attachment to the Foreign Ministry, for ever since the start of his first Presidential term in 1981, Khamenei has exerted control over the Minister. Despite the opposition of the then Prime Minister, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, in the late 1980s, Khamenei succeeded in installing a close associate, Ali Akbar Velayati, as foreign minister. Velayati kept his position until Mohammad Khatami's presidential triumph in 1997, when he was replaced by another Khamenei loyalist, former UN ambassador Kamal Kharrazi.
The Iranian government has some special characteristics. The Foreign Minister, together with the Ministers of Defense...
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ahmadinejad, ali akbar salehi, khamenei, mottaki
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14 Dec 2010

Iran Can’t Go On Like This — The Mistaken Predictions for the 22 Bahman Protests

The events of 22 Bahman (11 February 2010) were a significant disappointment for the Iranian opposition. In the weeks before the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution, there was an excitement that protests against the Government and regime --- which had continued despite repression and made a notable impact in the Ashura demonstrations of 27 December --- would build, possibly to a critical point.
The events of 22 Bahman (11 February 2010) were a significant disappointment for the Iranian opposition. In the weeks...
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22 bahman, usa, wikileaks
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13 Dec 2010

The President is a Puppet of the Leader

Supreme Leader Khamenei aspires to become the "emperor" of the Islamic world and is willing to sacrifice Iranian national interests for this goal. He sees President Ahmadi-Nejad as merely a puppet of the Supreme Leader, under the leader's complete control. Ahmadi-Nejad, in turn, sees more pragmatic conservatives such as [Speaker of Parliament Ali] Larijani and [Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer] Qalibaf as his main rivals.
Supreme Leader Khamenei aspires to become the "emperor" of the Islamic world and is willing to sacrifice Iranian...
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ahmadinejad, khamenei, wikileaks
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13 Nov 2010

The Regime’s War on the Lawyers — 3 More Arrested

Three more prominent defence attorneys have been detained in Iran. At 4 a.m. local time, Sara Sabaghian, Maryam Kianarsi, and Maryam Karbasi were arrested by security officers at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport as they returned from Turkey. There is no news of the whereabouts of the three lawyers.
Three more prominent defence attorneys have been detained in Iran. At 4 a.m. local time, Sara Sabaghian, Maryam...
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crackdown, human rights
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18 Oct 2010

The Regime Show Moves to Qom

There is still post-game cheerleading for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's trip to Lebanon. Press TV headlines the joint statement of the Shi'a parties Hezbollah and Amal expressing gratitude to the President for his assurances of support for the Lebanese people and adds the praise of Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati at Tehran Prayers (while ignoring Jannati's sharp criticism of Ahmadinejad over impending subsidy cuts). IRNA hands over a chunk of space to Ahmadinejad's media spokesman to declare, "A New Chapter in Relations Between Iran and Lebanon Has Been Opened
There is still post-game cheerleading for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's trip to Lebanon. Press TV headlines the joint statement...
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ahmadinejad, demise, khamenei
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16 Sep 2010

Ahmadinejad with NBC News on Muslims , Zionists and Obama

President Ahmadinejad is off to the United Nations for his annual presentation to the General Assembly, so that means another round of interviews with US television networks. It's a low-risk strategy for Ahmadinejad, as the American interviewers do not usually bring more than two-dimensional questions, and this encounter with NBC News' Andrea Mitchell was no different. Rather than pushing the President on Iran's internal matters, Mitchell settled for a snapshot of the case of the three US hikers --- Ahmadinejad had released Sarah Shourd on "compassionate grounds" but was defiant over the continued imprisonment of Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal --- and got into a tangential discussion on the proposed Islamic cultural centre in New York and a general overview of President Obama and US politics. Ahmadinejad countered with assertions of Muslim goodwill (and thus his own) --- "Muslims do not hate Americans" --- while saying that a "Zionist minority" was limiting the President's options on US-Iranian relations.
President Ahmadinejad is off to the United Nations for his annual presentation to the General Assembly, so that means...
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ahmadinejad, american hikers, ground zero mosque, islam
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9 Sep 2010

Abdollah Momeni Writes Supreme Leader About His Detention and Torture

During one of my days in detention at Evin Prison, I had the opportunity to hear a televised speech by you. You spoke of the importance of opposing injustice and the need to observe fairness and justice (23 June 2010). That day, I decided to write a letter addressed to you, thinking that perhaps the news about detention centers does not reach you. So you may not know that besides Kahrizak [the site of abuses and killings just after the 2009 elections], at Evin Prison too prisoners are not given even minimal rights, and are subjected to the severest forms of physical and psychological abuses, which are exerted with the aim of character assassination and coercing false confessions.
During one of my days in detention at Evin Prison, I had the opportunity to hear a televised speech by you. You spoke of...
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human rights, khamenei, political prisoners, student activist
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3 Sep 2010

Breaking News with Video on Day 5 of Karroubi “Siege”

Saham News says that Special Guards units are now at the Karroubi house and attackers are retreating into alleys around the home. There are reports that the Guards are trying to move Karroubi to another location for his safety but the cleric is refusing to leave.
Saham News says that Special Guards units are now at the Karroubi house and attackers are retreating into alleys around...
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crackdown, green movement, karroubi
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1 Sep 2010

Ahmadinejad’s Trash Talk

Within the space of a few weeks, Mohammad Reza Rahimi, an Iranian vice president, opined that the British were "inhuman" idiots saddled with a dunce of a prime minister, and the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, scoffed that the Americans should "pour water where it burns", a vulgar Iranian expression that refers to people who are so angry that their buttocks catch fire. A hardline Iranian newspaper joined the fray by branding Carla Bruni, France s first lady, a "prostitute".
Within the space of a few weeks, Mohammad Reza Rahimi, an Iranian vice president, opined that the British were "inhuman"...
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ahmadinejad
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31 Aug 2010

The Regime Feels the Pressure on Stoning

Who says that international campaigns have no effect? Last week, speaking to a journalist, I said that I had the sense that the Iranian Government was getting rattled over the international attention to the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the 43-year-old woman sentenced to death, initially for adultery and then for complicity in the murder of her husband. Reactions against the sentence this summer had already pushed Tehran into declaring that the carrying out of the death sentence had been held up and that it would not be by stoning; however, the prospect remained that Ashtiani would die by hanging. A few days ago the Government confirmed my suspicions through two linked statements. The judiciary tried to explain that, while it protected the rights of all citizens, Ashtiani had been tried fairly and convicted on the weight of evidence. The Iranian Foreign Ministry complained, with notable irritation, about "foreign interference".
Who says that international campaigns have no effect? Last week, speaking to a journalist, I said that I had the sense...
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executions, stoning
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25 Aug 2010

Presidents Chief of Staff Rahim-Mashai Taking On Foreign Policy

So now Ahmadinejad, far from running solo with his foreign policy pronouncements, has his 1st Vice President making expansive claims about idiot Englishmen and slapping South Koreans, and has special representatives who may be seeking to lead Iran s foreign policy in four of the most sensitive areas of the world. And one of those four representatives - the one who is widely disliked by key members of Parliament and senior clerics, the one who was forced out of a Vice-Presidential office, only to sneak back into Ahmadinejad s office - is appointing others to a Presidential foreign policy staff?
So now Ahmadinejad, far from running solo with his foreign policy pronouncements, has his 1st Vice President making...
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ahmadinejad, iran foreign policy, rahim mashai
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20 Aug 2010

Supreme Leader’s Speech on US-Iran Relations and Internal Situation

We have commented in updates on the Supreme Leader s Ramadan speech on Wednesday to senior Iranian officials, which seems to be an important signal that Iran will not enter any public talks on its nuclear programme with the US unless sanctions are withdrawn.
We have commented in updates on the Supreme Leader s Ramadan speech on Wednesday to senior Iranian officials, which...
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khamenei, nuclear issue, sanctions, usa
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6 Aug 2010

Has Ayatollah Sistani Challenged the Supreme LeaderÂ’s Authority

Days after Iran s Supreme Leader had released, retracted, and then re-released his I am the Rule of the Prophet declaration, the leading Shi a cleric in Iraq, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, issued his own fatwa. The contrast between the Khamenei and Sistani approaches to velayat-e-faqih (ultimate clerical supremacy) is stark. Now for the political question: was the Sistani pronouncement solely, or at least primarily, fostered by Iraqi developments or is it a response to the Supreme Leader s fatwa?
Days after Iran s Supreme Leader had released, retracted, and then re-released his I am the Rule of the Prophet...
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khamenei, supreme leader
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24 Jul 2010

Rafsanjani Bowing Out?

Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran s president from 1989-97, was at the top of the Iranian political establishment for three decades, his uncanny ability to manipulate politics to his own advantage undiminished. But over the past year, as Iran went through its most serious political crisis since the 1979 revolution, his empire has declined, and now his enemies have been emboldened to strike a fatal political blow. Rafsanjani has signalled his willingness to step aside from politics, thus avoiding public dismissal; the language has been carefully worded to minimise his loss of face.
Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran s president from 1989-97, was at the top of the Iranian political establishment for...
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crackdown, rafsanjani
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24 Jul 2010

Detained US Hiker’s Mother ‘ Wish I Could Hear Her Voice’

In Rah-e-Sabz, Masih Alinejad interviews Nora Shourd, whose daughter Sarah was one of three US citizens detained by Iranian authorities last summer when they allegedly hiked across the Iraq-Iran border. Translation by Farzaneh Abdavinejad:
In Rah-e-Sabz, Masih Alinejad interviews Nora Shourd, whose daughter Sarah was one of three US citizens detained by...
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american hikers
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